Two Cowboys To Protect Her by Lacey Davis
Chapter 17
Clayton was disturbed when they got home that night. Granny Bailey had the map, but she was not going to admit that she had the piece of paper that her great-nephew was killing for. One family in a small town could cause so much trouble.
When they arrived at the ranch, Rena had been taking care of the baby while Lillian had lain down to rest. Her time was drawing near and she’d been exhausted. So she napped while Rena cared for baby Will.
He’d been proud of her for not attempting to leave before they came back. Though he could see that she was tired. They were all exhausted after spending half the night fucking. In fact, they’d done nothing but that the entire two days they’d been married.
Clayton helped Rena down from her horse and then went inside with her while Harley took care of the horses.
As soon as they were in the house, Rena turned on him. “Why did Harley not commit to our union? Lillian told me that both of her men made vows. Seth made her a promise that he would be with her forever.”
This was what Clayton had been dreading. Rena was not a dumb woman and after talking to Lillian she realized something was wrong and it wasn’t Clayton’s place to say.
“You need to talk to Harley about this,” he said.
“You know, don’t you? He hasn’t even told me about his family. You told me about your mother and growing up in a whorehouse. But Harley has said nothing. What is going on?”
If only Harley had told her the truth at the beginning. But now she was suspicious and there was nothing he could say. Maybe he could distract her.
“By the way, you were right about Granny Bailey. We visited her this afternoon. We gleaned a lot of information from her. Enough that we may be able to soon catch these men. One of the men we’re searching for is her great-nephew.”
“What?”
“Yes, Jack Bell is her nephew.”
Rena walked into the house and set her satchel down. “I'm glad you learned some information while visiting her. I also learned a lot about a marriage like ours from Lillian.”
She reached up and stroked Clayton’s face. “Thank you for being honest with me.”
What could he say? He couldn’t tell her Harley’s secrets. Those were his to confess and yet he agreed with her. And he could tell Rena was not happy with Harley.
Just then Harley came in the door. “I need to talk to you,” he said to Rena.
Clayton felt relief. Maybe now he would tell her about his family. Tell her how he felt the need to go home and make certain his father was all right. Think about taking that ridiculous bribe his father offered.
“Good, I need to talk to you as well,” Rena said. “You go first.”
Did Harley not see that she had just laid a trap for him. If he didn’t come clean now, she was going to let him know her feelings. Let him see just how angry she was with him.
“That first night, when you saw the man hanging in the tree, was he an older gentleman?”
Rena’s face seemed to wilt for a moment before she replied. “It was dark, but I think the man had gray hair. He was large and had a big belly. Why?”
Harley was not picking up on the way she appeared stiff, almost angry at him. Could he not see that he needed to be honest with her?
“We believe Granny Bailey figured out who he was,” he said.
“Frank Griffin,” Clayton told her, knowing that she needed to be assured that they were both still committed to her and show that they trusted her. “Did you know him?”
“Not personally, but I believe he knew my father,” she said.
“What did you want to ask me?” Harley said.
Clayton’s insides tightened and he wondered if Harley would be truthful.
Her lips pressed into a line and he could see the flash of anger in her emerald eyes. “Sit down.”
The way she said the words, Harley’s brows drew together, and he was starting to understand that something had upset her.
Rena took the chair across from him. “Today, Lillian and I were talking and she told me that both of her men committed to her in marriage. Even though Seth is not a legal husband, he told her that he would always be there for her. That he was just as much her husband as Will. It made me realize you never said anything like that to me. Why?”
Clayton could see that Harley was nervous.
“You also have never told me about your family,” she said. “Clayton was honest about his.”
“You’ve never told us much about your family,” Clayton said, hoping to diffuse some of her anger.
She whipped around to stare at Clayton. “You’re right and I should. But first I need to know why Harley is not committed to us. Specifically to me.”
Now it was up to Harley to be truthful with her or Clayton would step in. There was no way he was going to lose Rena because Harley hadn’t made up his mind.
“My father destroyed our family life. He beat my mother so badly that she eventually died. And the sheriff looked the other way because there were kids that needed taking care of. But he also abused us. A day didn’t go by that if one of us slipped up, he wouldn't knock us around. His fists were his favorite tools. The older we became, the more he liked to taunt us, and one day, I’d had enough of being beat. I turned on him and let him experience how my fists felt. He kicked me out of the house and told me never to come back.”
Rena stared at Harley.
“Even now, I fear losing control and using my fists. When I spanked you the other night, I had to back down and take a deep breath to keep from really hurting you. It’s like that’s what I think I’m supposed to do when someone disrespects or disobeys me. That’s not the kind of man I want to be.”
With a sigh, she seemed to shrink back from Harley. “Are you afraid of hurting me?”
“No, because Clayton would stop me. He’s saved me many times. It’s like there is a beast inside me, and when I become enraged, he comes out. It’s all the anger from my childhood.”
Standing, she walked across the room, her hands gripped together. Though he was being honest about his family, he had not told her why he had not committed to her. Pacing the room, she stopped in front of him.
“Do you not want to be my husband? Do you not find me attractive enough to spend a lifetime with me and Clayton? Why can you not commit to me?”
Harley shook his head. “You’re beautiful. I’d be lucky to have you for my wife and I do think of you as my woman. But there are some things I must take care of before I can commit to anyone.”
Oh, Clayton wanted to hit him. That was not the right thing to say to Rena. He could see her face flush with anger. The woman had given herself to both of them and only one man had been committed to her. Couldn’t he see how that would affect her?
“Didn’t you think I should know this before we went down to the church and said wedding vows? Didn’t you think before I let you sleep with me that I deserved to know this? I thought you were my husband, possibly the father of my child, and now I’m learning you’re not even certain you want to remain in our marriage.”
Harley looked at Clayton and he shook his head. No, it wasn’t for him to defend his friend. He’d brought all of this on himself.
“My father is offering me ten thousand dollars to come home and run his mercantile store. That’s a lot of money and I’m tempted to see if he’s changed, and if he’ll really pay me is a big question. As much as I hate him, he’s still my father. If I decide to stay in Dallas and run the store, I didn’t want to hold you and Clayton back from finding another man.”
Oh, wrong thing to say again.
“What?” Rena said enraged. “Do you think I’m going to let just any man come into our marriage? If you died, possibly, but as far as I’m concerned, you are my husband. And if you didn’t want to be in this union, you should have said something before I married Clayton. I could be expecting a child. Your child. And what am I supposed to tell that child? Sorry, Papa went home to Dallas and never returned.”
Harley swallowed. “Rena, please give me some time. I don’t know what I want to do. But I have to go to Dallas and see my father. It’s been years since he kicked me out of the house. Maybe he’s changed.”
Men like Harley’s father never changed. They only died. But he knew that Harley had prayed to have a family like everyone else. So he couldn’t say anything.
“When are you leaving?”
“Just as soon as we capture these criminals, who, thanks to you, we have a clearer understanding of,” he said.
The man was trying to get on her good side, but Rena was having none of it.
“I’m sleeping in my bedroom tonight. Because you weren’t honest with me, Harley, the two of you can take the guest room.”
With a whirl of skirts, she turned and walked away.
“You should have told her sooner. She’s really hurt.”
“I know, but what could I say? Let me fuck you until I visit my father.”
Clayton sighed. Men like Harley were rough around the edges. Not being raised by a women, he did not know how to charm a lady nor the importance of seeing her side and not thinking about only himself.
“There are other ways you could have told her that would have helped her understand. Now neither one of is going to get any pussy anytime soon.”
